“In particular, it has created a climate in which professionals will prioritise litigation avoidance above what is best for their pupils or patients.”

The report warns that instead of improving safety and accountability, it has resulted in “significant costs to the quality of services, the experiences of those who use them”.

It continues: “The combination of an ingrained compensation culture and litigation avoidance is bleeding the health and education services dry, both financially, and in terms of their public sector ethos and professional role.”

Report author Professor Frank Furedi said fear of legal action can hold back progress and creativity.

“It erodes professional autonomy, stifles innovation, leads to defensive practices in both hospitals and schools and encourages greater bureaucracy,” he said.

“‘Best practice’ is now defined as having checked all the boxes in a quality assurance form rather than doing what is best for the patient or pupil.”